Update EIP-1: Implementing a Formalized Impact Assessment Phase for Core EIPs

[cspannos]

Note: This is just a test - not an actual PR

This pull request proposes the introduction of a formal Impact Assessment phase for Core EIPs. This phase is designed to evaluate potential effects on the network and ecosystem before a Core EIP reaches the Final stage. The aim is to enhance decision-making, mitigate risks, and ensure the long-term health and credibility of the Ethereum platform.

Rationale

The current EIP process, while robust, lacks a systematic approach to evaluate the broader impact of Core EIPs. Drawing inspiration from established practices in international organizations and other open-source projects, this proposal aims to fill this gap. Comprehensive impact assessments are standard in many sectors, including development banks (e.g., World Bank, IDB) and government initiatives (e.g., Algorithmic Impact Assessment by the Canadian Government). These assessments help identify potential risks, ensure informed decision-making, and maintain the credibility of the processes involved.

Key Benefits:

1. Risk Mitigation:

   • Helps identify potential negative impacts, such as security vulnerabilities or performance bottlenecks, before they are introduced to the network.

2. Informed Decisions:

   • Provides stakeholders with a detailed analysis of the EIP’s impact, ensuring they understand both the benefits and potential challenges of implementation.

3. Long-term Planning:

   • Encourages consideration of long-term effects, ensuring that EIPs align with Ethereum's roadmap, strategic goals and sustainable development.

4. Maintaining Credibility:

   • Demonstrates Ethereum's commitment to thorough evaluation and responsible decision-making, maintaining trust among stakeholders and the broader community.

5. Due Diligence:

   • Ensures that all potential consequences of a proposal are explored, promoting robust standards and reducing the likelihood of unforeseen issues.

Implementation

The proposed Impact Assessment phase includes the following components:

1. Assessment Template:

   • A standardized framework for EIP authors to evaluate and document the potential impacts of their proposals, covering areas such as security, scalability, economic impact, interoperability, backward compatibility, and long-term sustainability.

2. Review Committee:

   • A committee of experts with diverse expertise to evaluate the assessments and provide recommendations. This committee will ensure that assessments are objective and comprehensive.

3. Feedback Processing Mechanism:

   • A structured feedback loop where stakeholders can provide input on the Impact Assessments. This will include tools for analyzing feedback and protocols for making necessary adjustments.

4. Public Disclosure:

   • Publishing all Impact Assessments alongside their respective EIPs for transparency. This allows for community comments and discussions, fostering collaboration.

5. Post-Finalization Protocol:

   • Monitoring and reporting system to track the impact of finalized Core EIPs and address any issues or unintended consequences that arise post-implementation.

Potential Drawbacks and Mitigation Strategies

1. Resource Intensive:

   • Challenge: Conducting thorough assessments requires time and expertise, which could slow down the EIP process.
   • Mitigation: Develop clear guidelines and training materials to help authors complete assessments efficiently. Use software tools to automate parts of the assessment and encourage community contributions to leverage collective expertise.

2. Subjectivity:

   • Challenge: Assessments might be influenced by the biases of the reviewers.
   • Mitigation: Ensure the review board includes members with varied backgrounds and perspectives. Develop objective criteria and metrics for evaluating EIPs and implement a peer review system.

3. Complexity:

   • Challenge: Adding another layer to the EIP process could complicate decision-making.
   • Mitigation: Streamline the process with clear workflows and use collaborative tools to manage the additional complexity.

Conclusion

This proposal for a Formalized Impact Assessment phase aims to enhance the EIP process by ensuring thorough evaluation of the potential impacts of Core EIPs. By implementing standardized templates, establishing a review board, and promoting transparency, this phase will help mitigate risks, support informed decision-making, and align with Ethereum’s long-term vision and goals.

I believe this change will strengthen the EIP process and contribute to the sustainable development and stability of the Ethereum network.

[eth-bot]

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[abcoathup]

Suggest starting a discussion in Eth Magicians about this proposal prior to a PR to amend EIP-1.

[cspannos]

Suggest starting a discussion in Eth Magicians about this proposal prior to a PR to amend EIP-1.

@abcoathup This is just a test, not an actaul PR. I have updated the PR and description accordingly. Thanks!

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